The Chevrolet Warner Brothers Edition, the Oldsmobile Silhouette Premiere, and the Pontiac Montanta with Montanavision are those General Motors extended wheelbase minivans that come equipped with a foldaway video display screen installed in the roof behind and between the front seats that will carry the picture for the included video cassette player, or similar electronic display input from other mediums such as video games and lap top computers.

As high-end vehicles, I would guess that they are very similar to each other, given the differences in suspension tuning, exterior features (a metal grill on the Venture, lower body cladding on the Montana) interior features (seat materials, colors, and configurations) and pricing that otherwise differentiate Ventures from Silhouettes from Montanas.

To best answer your implied next question, you might try what I did: Copy, paste, and reconfigure the Edmunds' or other web site's descriptions and price listings of each vehicle, including the coding, SIDE-BY-SIDE, in a word processing or spreadsheet application and become familiar with them. Do NOT forget to check the holdback information available in the Edmunds' site!

Go to each brand's Web site and create you own sticker; become familiar with those. Obtain a brochure of each vehicle from a dealer (or order from the vehicle brand web site) to compare.

Once you're familiar with the descriptions, go look at and test drive the vehicles.

After you look and test drive, you will probably find yourself leaning toward one of them. Negotiate your best deal; don't be afraid to start negotiating well BELOW invoice. Be reluctant, but not immovable, to SLOWLY come up.

Just saw the Warner Bros. edition last night...what a wonderful vehichle. We were in the car dealers office ready to sign the papers on a new Tahoe for our family when the Venture caught our eye. We are now looking into the WB edition and are interested in purchasing. Does anyone know if the Warner Bros edition is a one year promotion or if there will be a 2001 model. Loved the TV and VCR would like to know if available in the future on perhaps the LT model?

We brought home a 99 Venture "Program Car" for an overnight test drive. This van handled and felt great. It features: plenty of power from the V-6, front and rear air, power sliding door, drivers side sliding door, 2 integrated child seats (both needed), a few scrapes on the rubber bumpers, spilled red cool aid on the carpet but otherwise, after a dealer provided detail, I think will look really nice. Has anyone had any serious concerns mechanically, ergonomically or safety related. I am especially curious about the safety of the child seats and have found no reports related to them. We are also considering a Ford Winstar and Pontiac Montana (similar to Venture). For the Venture, they are asking 20,995 and it has 22000 miles. Any help and advice would be appreciated.

The van sounds like it is pretty nice but you may want to see if you can do a bit better with that price ,I just bought a 2000 venture extended with 8 passenger seating and payed 21,300 after rebates.I would try to haggle a little bit on the price.otherwise this is a great van yes the windstar is safer but your going to pay alot more to get so little.montana is the same thing as venture just with some bodyside molding.whatever you choose i'm sure you will be happy with it.

Help! I love my Butler Blue 2000 Venture LT Ext, except for the problem with the load leveling suspension. I've had it to the dealer three times now...they've replaced a faulty sensor, but it acted up again. What are the odds of having another faulty sensor?Has anyone else had this problem?Thanks in advance.

We are in the haggling stage with the dealer. he gave us a price of the WB to $26,800. It has few options on the power door, extra intergrated child seat and the trailering provisions. We also got an interest rate of 7.5 for 48 months. How does this sound? This includes $1,500.00 worth of rebate incentives.

How does the price compare to the dealer's invoice? What do you mean by "This includes $1,500.00 worth of rebate incentives." is the price $26,800, or $28,300? It is my understanding that the $1,500 is a General Motors incentive. So, you should compare the price the dealer is offering you, WITHOUT INCENTIVES, to the dealer's invoice; the closer you come to the dealer's invoice price, OR BELOW, the better the deal. You should not let the salesman/dealer confuse you by including the incentive in the price negotiation; it should be part of how you pay that negotiated price. That is; you arrive at a negotiated price less a trade-in, if you have one (the BOTTOM line), then you pay that price with a deposit/down payment, the manufacturer's rebate, and your financing. Also, don't let the dealer add a processing or documentation fee separately from the negotiated price, unless it's for an additional service such as title work with the motor vehicle department. You can accept such a documentation or processing fee if they take it out of the negotiated price; in some states, I believe that may, in addition to your trade-in, further lower the sales tax you might have to pay.

Am interested in purchasing either a 2000 venture LS regular or 2000 venture LS extended. Wanted to know if the rear air conditioning option is necessary for people sitting in the middle or rear seats.

How good is the 3.4 liter and can it do better than 200k overall, are there any problems you've heard of for the 1999 or 2000 improvements and what kind of mileage can i really expect per gal.I'm using the van for 9hrs. a day and many start ups. Mike

We own a 1998 Chevy Venture LS and it has been a great van for our family traveling. We haul all of our stuff in it and hook up our boat and we're off the northern Minnesota at least 6 times a year. The van has 39253 miles to date,[I took it to work today]with no signs of engine problems, the only problem with this van at all was the power sliding door but that was fixed some 32000 miles ago and has not returned. The van probably would make it if you just take care of the engine. Change oil every 3000 miles. The 3400 has 100000 mile spark plugs, 150000 mile coolant and 100000 mile transmission fluid [I think]!You shouldn't run into much rouitne matinance till you hit the 100000 mile mark, but I think it could do it.

I plan to purchase a 2000 Venture Extended Plus in the next few weeks. A local Chevy dealer is listing one (Extended LS) for $28,220, with a Msrp of $25,500. The destination charge is $605 and add ons include Front and rear AC ($475), Power door ($450), 8 passenger seating ($290) power driver seat ($270), luggage rack ($225), Radio ($200) and rear seat audio controls ($155). They are also offering a $1500 rebate, so I assume the total price of the car is $26,720. Reading the various web sites (including Edmunds), the dealer invoice is $22,217, F&R AC ($408), Power door ($430), 8 seats ($280), Power seat (couldn't find a price, so $270), luggage rack ($194), the radio (couldn't find a price, so $200) and rear seat audio controls (couldn't find a price,so $155) with the $605 destination charge makes $23,759. Minus the $1500 rebate makes $22,259. Given that $22,259 is the cost and $26,720 is the asking price (difference of $4460), what is a reasonable price I should be able to obtain the car for? Any suggestions on how to obtain the lowest price would be appreciated. Thanks.

This is not the minivan to buy. it did the worst in the offset crash test by the IIHS than any other van. you can buy it unless you want the dash and steering wheel over your head. don't believe me? go to hwysafety.org and see for yourself.

Me & the Mrs. have a 98 Venture and, after 30k, we are pretty happy. The engine continues to be strong and no problems to report. The power door failed to close once, but the reset procedure was easy. The only complaint we have is an electrical gremlin that showed up in the rear radio controls.Since we never use the rear radio, it hasn't been a problem.

cubsfan posted on 16 Nov. an ongoing problem with the suspension on his '99 Venture. I have about 5000 miles on mine and have the touring suspension. I am starting to encounter major problems. For no reason the rear suspension just seems to go out. My family and will bounce down the highway for miles until it corrects itself. Now it has a new trick. It seems as if the shocks are locking in the fully extended position and the van sounds like it is bottoming out on even the smallest bump. I am taking it to the dealer in the next day or so. Anyone had similar problems? What was it and how was it resolved. Thanks fo any help.

We're having the same problem--shaking, bouncing, and sounding as if the rear end is falling out on the ground. Problem is, it's intermittent, so our two trips back to the dealer havn't helped--they say they can't reproduce the problem (by driving it about 10 miles) so they don't know what's wrong.

We've had problems closing our door a few times in cold weather. BTW, we have a 1997 Venture extended with 31k miles and few problems. A window that rattles that they fixed and we're taking it in to have them look at squeaky back wheels before the warranty runs out. Probably the brakes. Otherwise it has been a good, reliable car.

I'm browsing to fall asleep again, so I really can't take the time to re-check it for you without stimulating myself wide awake. Removal of stains was discussed in one of the Repair & Maintenance topics, in one of the archived groups of "What's the Best Polish and Wax." (That topic is so popular that it recurringly reaches the 500 or so messages that forces Edmunds to freeze a topic and start a new one, so there are probably four or five sets of linked older groups.) Playing around with the Search feature may get you the info you need in the quickest way possible. Also, since I have not looked through all the Repair and Maintenance topics, there might be one listed.

Just purchased a '99 Venture LS (prior to crash test info coming out and to maintain marital harmony!). Has anyone had problems with the doors leaking? With the winter weather setting in everytime it has rained or snowed (then melts) the front doors leak and soak the floor boards. Last time it sound like milk jug draining through the passenger side door! Yes, the doors and windows are closed. At about 450 miles on it and am really bummed.